SEC Pass Vote Of Confidence On Osun NULGE Executives, Extends Tenure For Another Two Year

Vote of confidence was on Friday unanimously passed on Comrade Jacob Adedeji Adeyeye-led Osun State executive of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) by
members of the State Executive Council (SEC) with encouragement that they should steer the ship of the union for another two years.

The NULGE officials who were commended for making the union more vibrant and virile, were, however charged to continue, as they have been doing, to toe the path of peace and embrace the rule of law always.

Speaking on the elongation of their tenure at the NULGE Secretariat in Osogbo,Comrade Yemi Owoyomi, the representative of Osun NULGE State Executive Council (SEC), explained that,
the extension of two years have been exhausted in about seventeen states of the country.

According to him, “elongation of tenure is not about, nor restricted to, Osun State alone. It cuts across the entire federation. The extension of two years have been exhausted in about seventeen states of the country. In the Southwest alone, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo have all passed the elongation phase and conducted elections.”

“Be that as it may, precisely in October 2016, the National Delegates Conference of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) was held in Akure, Ondo State, where a lot of resolutions and amendments to NULGE law were made. One of the many resolutions at the Conference was the granting of two years extension to the tenure of incumbent executive at the local, state and national levels”.

However, ” in exercise of the right of individual as enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution, Com. Rasaq Lawal, the retired NULGE Deputy National Secretary and his cohorts approached courts to stop the elongation. Several cases were instituted in many states of the federation, including Osun. Different orders cum judgements have been given by different courts in favour of elongation The relevant and paramount one to Osun State is the one instituted by the Com. Deji Adeyeye-led executive at the National Industrial Court, Ibadan.

“His Lordship, Hon. Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale, in his wisdom, granted injunction restraining any group, individuals or their privies, agents, cronies or other impostors from setting up any Caretaker Committee, organise any elections or disrupt the Adeyeye-led administration in whatever form, pending the determination of the case before the court.

“The injunction was granted on the 5th of February, 2020. However , in flagrant disobedience of the court orders, Com. Abiodun Gboyega Ojo and 6 others, allowed themselves to be used as pawns in a deadly game, by accepting to serve in an illegal Caretaker Committee, put together by some faceless and misguided individuals who gathered together at an unknown location.

” In view of the fact that the present NULGE State Executives have great respect for the rule of law, and believe in the maintenance of peace, they reapproached the National Industrial Court at Ibadan on Thursday, 20th of February 2020 i. e the adjourned date.

“At the court, His Lordship frowned at the activities of the so called Caretaker Committee led by Com. Ojo, and thereafter summoned the purported members of the committee, to appear before the Court on the 19th of March, 2020, to explain why they should not be jailed for contempt of court. His Lordship not only sustained the earlier order of 5th February, 2020, but also refused to vacate it .”

Owoyemi who frowned at a group of persons who criticized the elongation process Andreas maintained that “elongation is unconstitutional because it is not written in our constitution. The most mischievous question anyone can ask is “Where is elongation in NULGE constitution?”. Mischievous as this question is, it can still be answered.”

“Rule 6.1(i) on Page 8 of the constitution says “The supreme authority of the Union shall be vested in the National Delegates Conference…”

“Rule 6(vi) on Page 10 provides that ” Notwithstanding the provision of any rule of this constitution, the decision or resolution reached at any National Delegates Conference shall supersede such provisions”

“The State Executive Council (SEC) was surprised that,Com. Abiodun Gboyega Ojo, who was once the Treasurer of our great Union and a former member of SEC, can, for whatever reasons, suddenly forget that SEC is the highest decision-making body of our Union at the state level.”

“We were shocked that he can descend so low and easily fall into the trap of unrecognised personalities who are not members of NULGE, to disturb the peace hitherto enjoyed by our members.

However, ” it is not too late for Com. Ojo to carefully retrace his steps and liberate himself from the grip of a never contented, egocentric and self-conceited leader, who is using him for his inordinate personal ambitions. If he does, may be posterity can still show some mercy upon him. Just may be!”

“They even claimed to have called a State Congress at an unknown location to dissolve the State Exco and inaugurate a Caretaker Committee. Our constitution says the business of the Union shall be run from the Union secretariat. Most especially, there is no provision for State Congress in our constitution. It is a scam. Let them point to the relevant section of our constitution which provides for State Congress.”

“There are many questions they need to answer in respect of their fraudulent assembly and the kangaroo Caretaker Committee therefrom. Time will reveal.”

The SEC spokesperson therefore charged the newly elongated tenure members to be focussed and ignore the empty threats and futile grandstanding of the troublemakers while performing their lawful duties.

“They should continue to, as many of their colleagues in other states have done, govern us without distractions. We will not watch and allow the troublesome minority the opportunity to forcefully seize power. The control of our Union will never be surrendered to touts and thugs”, he added.

“We hereby enjoin the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to offer sincere and objective advice to the state government, so as to ensure that the orders of the Court are not trampled upon by the government. This is the only way to ensure justice is done in the interest of peace and harmony”.

“We know our governor loves peace. We are aware he is also law-abiding. We sincerely believe he will not yield to subtle blackmail from some meddlesome interlopers, employed by the few anti-elongation elements in their desperation to seize power.”

“We also urge our loving and loveable Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, as father to all, to deal with all matters as an unbiased umpire by abiding with all orders of the Court”, he concluded”.